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Civil Engineering, Technology and- Special Issue (ICRTCETM-2017)
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EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON BENDABLE

CONCRETE
K.Selvakumar1, R.Kishore kumar2, A.Deivasigamani3, Ms.S.Amutha4
Student, Civil, Sri Muthukumaran Institute of technology, Chennai, India1
Student, Civil, Sri Muthukumaran Institute of technology, Chennai, India2
Student, Civil, Sri Muthukumaran Institute of technology, Chennai, India3
Assistant Professor, Civil, Sri Muthukumaran Institute of technology, Chennai, India4

ABSTRACT- Engineered cementitious to provide a performance summary of an

composites (ECC) also called as Bendable
concrete is an easily moulded mortar based
composite reinforced with specially selected
short random fibres. Traditional concrete
suffers catastrophic failure when strained in an
earthquake or by routine overuse. ECC remains
intact and safe to use at tensile strains up to 5%.
Traditional concrete fractures and may not
carry a load at 0.01 % tensile strain. In this
paper, to overcome the demand for concrete in
future and to develop the fibre materials, the
Poly Vinyl Alcohol Fibre is used so as to reduce
the cement content and to enhance flexibility. It
has high aspect ratio, high ultimate tensile
strength, relatively high modulus of elasticity,
good chemical compatibility with Portland
cement, good affinity with water and no health
risks. To increase the workability of concrete
super plasticizer is used. The compressive
strength and flexural strength of cubes and slabs
(two different thicknesses) is determined and
also the bendability characteristics of the
concrete are checked during flexural strength
test.
Keywords: ECC (Engineered Cementitious
Composites) or Bendable concrete, Poly Vinyl
Alcohol, fibre, Super plasticizer.
I. INTRODUCTION
POLY VINYL ALCOHOL FIBER (PVA)
While selecting fibres for ECC, it was found
that polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibre was of low cost
and high performance. The hydrophilic nature of
PVA fibre imposed great challenge in the
composite design, as the fibres are susceptible to
rupture instead of being pulled out because of the
tendency for the fibre to bond strongly to
cementitious matrix. The objective of this paper is
exemplary PVA-ECC. PVA fibres have some
structural strength and can also be used for
shrinkage control. While they cannot replace
reinforcing steel, they improve the mechanical
properties of cured concrete, boosting its strength.
Polyvinyl alcohol fibre (PVA) is an ideal
environment-friendly cement reinforced material,
which possesses alkali and weather resistance due
to its unique molecular structure, taking on good
affinity to cement, effectively prevent and suppress
the crack formation and development, improve
bending strength, impact strength and crack
strength, improve permeability, impact and seismic
resistance of concrete. This product can be widely
used in civil and industrial buildings, walls,
roofing, flooring and roads, bridges, tunnels,
reinforcement for embankment slopes.
BENDABLE CONRETE
Bendable concrete also known as Engineered
Cementitious Composites abbreviated as ECC is
class of ultra-ductile fibre reinforced cementitious
composites, characterized by high ductility and
tight crack width control.
Conventional concretes are almost
unbendable and have a strain capacity of only 0.1%
making them highly brittle and rigid. This lack of
bendability is a major cause of failure under strain
and has been a pushing factor in the development
of an elegant material namely, bendable concrete.
This material is capable to exhibit considerably
enhanced flexibility. A bendable concrete is
reinforced with micromechanically designed
polymer fibres. ECC is made from the same basic
ingredients as conventional concrete but with the
addition of High-Range Water Reducing (HRWR)
agent is required to impart good workability.
However, coarse aggregates are not used in
ECCs, the powder content of ECC is relatively
high. Cementitious materials, such as fly ash, silica
fume, etc., may be used in addition to cement to
increase the paste content. Additionally, ECC uses

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Civil Engineering, Technology and- Special Issue (ICRTCETM-2017)
Management - April 2017

low amounts, typically 2% by volume, of short,

discontinuous fibres. ECC incorporates super fine
silica sand and tiny Polyvinyl Alcohol-fibres
covered with a very thin (manometer thick), silk
coating. This surface coating allows the fibre to
begin slipping when they are over loaded so they
are not fracturing. It prevents the fibre from
rupturing which would lead to large cracking. Thus
an ECC deforms much more than a normal
concrete but without fracturing. The behaviour of
ECC under flexural loading and it can be seen that
the beam can deform sufficiently without direct
failure. ECC has proved to be 50 % more flexible
than traditional concrete, and 40% lighter, which
could even influence design choices in skyscrapers.
Additionally, the excellent energy absorbing
properties of ECC make it especially suitable for Fig.1. Mixing of ECC concrete.
critical elements in seismic zones.

The challenge in making a lightweight

concrete is decreasing the density while
maintaining strength and without adversely
affecting cost. Introducing new aggregates into the
mix design is a common way to lower density of
concrete. Normal concrete contains four
components, cement, crushed stone, river sand and
water. The crushed stone and sand are the
components that are usually replaced with
lightweight aggregates.
II. INGREDIENTS OF ECC CONCRETE

Engineered cementitious composite is composed of

Cement (53 grade of OPC) Fig.1.1 Mixing of PVA Fibre in
Sand Concrete.
Water
Super plasticizer
PVA fibre (length is 12mm
and diameter is 40m).

In the mix, coarse aggregates are

deliberately not used because property of ECC
Concrete is formation of micro cracks with large
deflection. Coarse aggregates increases crack width
which contradicts the property of ECC Concrete.
III. PROCEDURE FOR MAKING ECC CONCRETE
MIX RATIO
The initial mix proportion was PVA fibre at
2% and super plasticizer dose was 30ml per slab Fig.1.2. Mixture of ECC concrete.
mould (700x150x60 mm),(700x150x30 mm) and
10ml per cube mould(70.6x70.6x70.6 mm), then CASTING PROCEDURE OF ECC-
water to cement ratio of 0.5. By using this CONCRETE.
proportion workability was achieved. The ratio of The performance of the ECC Concrete was
concrete mix is 1:2(cement : sand) and w/c=0.5. influenced by the mixing. This means that a proper
Figure 1, 1.1, 1.2 shows the mixing of ECC & good practice of mixing can lead to better
concrete. performance & quality of the ECC Concrete. The
quality of the concrete is also influenced by the
homogeneity of the mix material. Flexural Test was

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carried out on the slab during the mixing & after the levelling of the fresh concrete was done, the
the placement of fresh concrete. A proper mixing concrete in the mould was left over night to allow
of concrete is encouraged to obtain the strength of the fresh concrete to set. Figure 3 and 3.1 shows the
concrete & better bonding of cement with the PVA demoulding of slabs with different thickness.
fibres. Once the concrete mix design was finalized,
the mixing was carried out. The mixing of ECC
Concrete was carried out by using hand mixing.
The procedure of hand mixing was as follows:-
Add sand, cement, add the PVA fibres slowly then
add 50% of water & super plasticizer. Add slowly
remaining quantity of water & super plasticizer and
mix till the homogenous mixture is formed. Figure
2 and 2.1 represents the casting of cubes and slabs.

Fig.3. ECC concrete slab with 60mm thickness

after demoulding.

Fig.2. Casting of ECC concrete in cube.

Fig.3.1. ECC concrete slab with 30mm thickness

after demoulding.

CURING OF CONCRETE SPECIMEN

After 24 hours, the concrete specimens are
demoulded from the moulds. All the concrete
specimens were placed into the curing tank with a
Fig.2.1. controlled temperature of 25 oC for a period of 28
Casting of ECC concrete in slab. days to attain the hardening property of concrete
shown in figure 4 and 4.1 . Curing is an important
PLACING, COMPACTING & CASTING OF process to prevent the concrete specimens from
CONCRETE SPECIMEN. losing of moisture while it is gaining its required
Before placing of concrete, the concrete strength. Lack of curing will lead to improper gain
mould must be oiled for the ease of concrete in the strength. After 7, 14 and 28 days of curing,
specimens stripping. Once the workability test of the concrete specimens were removed from the
ECC concrete was done, the fresh concrete must be curing tank to conduct hardened properties test of
placed into the concrete moulds for hardened ECC Concrete.
property tests. During the placing of fresh concrete
into the moulds, tamping was done using Tamping
rod in order to reduce the honeycombing. It allows
full compaction of the fresh concrete to release any
entrained air voids contained in the concrete. If the
concrete was not compacted in a proper manner,
the maximum strength of the concrete cannot be
achieved. After this operation, the levelling of
concrete was done on the surface of the concrete.
Levelling is the initial operation carried out after
the concrete has been placed & compacted. After Fig.4. Curing of slabs.

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Civil Engineering, - Special
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Management April 2017

V. COMPARISION
The comparison of results of mechanical property
test between the bendable concrete and
conventional concrete.

COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH IN N/mm2

Avg. Compression strength N/mm2

50
40
30
Fig.4.1. Curing of cubes. 20
10

IV. TESTING ON CONCRETE 0

7 Days 14 days 28 days
After curing process, the specimen has to be
tested. Investigations are carried out by testing
no. of curing days
cubes, slabs for 7, 14, 28 days. Cubes were tested
on Compression testing equipment and slabs of bendable concrete conventional concrete
(two different thickness) were tested on flexural
testing machine and during this flexural testing the Graph 1.Comparison of bendable and conventional
bendable characteristics of slab also been cubes.
determined. The results are given below:

Table.1. Mechanical Properties of Bendable

concrete and Conventional cubes and slabs.
SLAB (30mm) AVERAGE
FLEXURAL STRENGTH
Avg. Flexural strength N/mm2

Mechanica Bendble Conventional

l concrete concrete N/mm2
Compressiv
Properties
e strength in 6
N/mm at 7 5
days 27.2 26 4
14 days 35.3 34.6 3
28 days 41.6 40.2 2
Flexural 1
strength in 0
N/mm at 7 Days 14 days 28 days
7 days 3.76 3.03
14 days 4.83 3.89 no. of curing days
28 days 5.56 4.24
Flexural bendable concrete conventional concrete
strength in
N/mm at Graph 2.Comparison of bendable and conventional
7 days 3.81 3.23 slabs (30 mm).
14 days 5.11 4.58
28 days 5.92 5.15

Discussion

The strength of the bendable concrete is

comparatively higher than the conventional cubes
and slabs. This higher strength shows that the
presence of PVA fiber in bendable concrete has
increased its efficiency.

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5) Li VC, Kanda T. Engineered cementitious

composites for structural applications. ASCE J
SLAB (60mm) AVERAGE Mater Civil Eng 1998.
FLEXURAL STRENGTH N/mm2
Avg. Flexural strength N/mm2
6) Bensaid Boulekbache, Mostefa Hamrat, Mohamed
Chemrouk, Sofiane Amziane, Influence of yield
stress and compressive strength on direct shear
8 behaviour of steel fibre- reinforced concrete, Journal
of Construction and Building Materials 27 (2012) pp.
6 6 14.

0
7 Days 14 days 28 days

no. of curing days

bendable concrete conventional concrete

graph 3. Comparison of bendable and conventional

slabs (60 mm).

Discussion
In the above comparisons the compression
strength and flexural strength of the bendable
concrete is comparatively higher than the
conventional cubes and slabs. The reason behind
the higher strengths of bendable concrete is due to
the presence of fiber as reinforcement. The strength
of conventional cubes and slabs is comparatively
low since it is not reinforced.

V. CONCLUSION
In this paper the compression and flexural strength
of bendable concrete is done the values are
compared with conventional cubes and slabs.
Therefore it is proved that the bendable concrete is
more strength than the conventional concrete and it
is more flexible so that it resists cracks and acts as
more efficiency in seismic regions.
References
1) Sagar Gadhiya, Patel T N and Dinesh Shah(2015)
Parametric study on flexural strength on ECC 2015
ijscer vol:4 no:5
2) S.Z. Qian, J. Zhou, E. SchlangenInfluence of curing
condition and pre cracking time on the self healing
behaviour of Engineered Cementitious Composites
Journal of Cement & Concrete Composites 32 (2010)
pp. 686693.
3) Jian Zhou, Shunzhi Qian, Guang Ye, Oguzhan
Copuroglu, Klaas van Breugel , Victor C. Li,
Improved fibre distribution and mechanical
properties of engineered cementitious composites by
adjusting the mixing sequence,Jounal of Cement &
Concrete Composites 34(2012)pp.342348.
4) Seminar report on on Bendable concrete presented by
Chitari Nagesh Babasahebi m.tech. in
structural engineering Basaveshwar Engineering College
Bagalkot

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